Electric-circuit closer



(N0 Mmil.)

, "J. H. HOLMES.

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CLOSER. No. 305,310. Patented Sep t. 16, 1884;.

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Unirnn STATES PATENT @rnreii.

JOHN H. HOLMES, OF NEVVCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, COUNTY OF NORTHUMBER- LAND, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CLOSER. A

Tj-PECIFIUAI'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 305,310, dated September 16, 1884.

Application filed May 28, 1884. (No model.) Patentedin England February 14, 1884, No. 3,256.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that 1, JOHN HENRY HoLMns, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, resid ing at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the county of Northumberland, in the Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches or Circuit-Closers, (for which Ihave applied for Letters Patent in England, dated February 14, 1884, No. 3,256,) of which 0 the following is a specification.

The object of the improvements hereinafter detailed is to prevent the formation of destructive arc when the electric current is broken by means of a switch or other arrangement.

In switches as hitherto designed there has, so far as I am aware,always been a continuous sliding contact during action,or a fast connec tion between the handle for moving the contact-piece, and the said contact-piece consequently, although there may be a trigger-spri ng and tumbler or spiral spring to prevent the switch being left in any position other than in perfect circuit or entirely broken circuit, yet a destructive arc has been formed when the handle was slowly turned for the purpose of breaking the circuit. With the object of overcoming this drawback I have designed an arrangement of switch which allows the contactpiece, or a portion of it, by the influence of an 0 independent force, such as that of a spring or weight, to move through a certain distance independently of the handle. The spring orlweight is so arranged as to tend to keep the movable contact-piece in the off position; but 'on 3 5 turning the handle to complete circuit the contact-piece is moved in opposition to the force of the spring or weight, and is kept in the on. position by a frictional or mechanical device. On turning the handlepin the reverse 40 direction to break circuit, its first action is to release the contact-piece from the frictional ormechanical devices and allow it to fly back suddenly under the influence of the spring or weight, thus causing the circuit to be broken so quickly that a dangerous arc cannot be formed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional View of my improved circuitcloser; Fig. 2, a plan View of the same.

The apparatus consists of anouter covering or box of any suitable material, inclosing the mechanism, having a lid overlapping the disk, described further on, and from the center of which a handle, A, projects,whereby the connection can be made or broken, as required. 5 The axis of this handle is supported in abearing at the bottom of the box. The connectingbar or contact-piece B swings loosely on the axis; A spring, 0, keeps the bar B in the off position against stops D D when not prevented by force,or when the connectingbar is not held tight on the friction catches or contacts E E. These contacts consist each of two flat metallic plates or jaws laid upon each other, and held together at one end by screws. Their other ends, 6 e, which face the contactbar B, are somewhat wider apart, so as to admit of the bar being forced in between them and held tightly. They thus act as a frictional contact, holding the bar against the force of its spring 0, which is also in such a position as to v have little power on the bar. Above this ar-, iangement the axis of the handle carries a disk,

G, holding the contact-bar in place, and having a ward or flange, H, (or its equivalent, two pins,) placed eccentrically upon its lower surface, forming a sort of crank pin or lever, which, when standing in a direction approximately parallel to the direction of the bar, stands clear of the same. This ward is of such width and is so placed upon the disk that it can be rotated about thirty degrees of the circle without touching the bar B. WVhen, however, the handle A is turned, the disk G revolves with it. One end of the projecting flange H comes I against the contact-bar B and pushes it out from between the jaws e e of the contacts E E. As soon as the bar is thus released, the spring 0 draws it back until it is checked by the stops D D. Thus, however slowly thehandlebe turned, 0 the contact-bar is rapidly propelled away the instant the contact is broken. \Vhen it is desired to again make contact, the handle is turned the opposite way. The opposite end of V the flange H comes in contact with the connect- 5 ing-bar B, and forces it forward and between the jaws of the contacts E E against the force of its spring 0. A similar arrangement can be applied to various kinds of switches.

In place of the frictional device,a catch could rco be substituted and a tappet placed on the flange or pins to lift the bar out of contact with the catch, or vice versa, but I prefer frictional contact, as shown.

I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described mechanism for making and breaking contact suddenly, which consists in a contactpiece placed under springpressure tending to draw it strongly out of contact, and actuating mechanism independent of the contact-piece operating to push said contact-piece before it, both when making and breaking contact,whereby the moment the contact-piece is liberated the spring-pressure instantly breaks contact by drawing such contact-piece in advance of said actuating mechanism.

oted in the center, a pivoted device capable of bearing on one side of the bar on either side of the center, and apair of contact-pieces formed 30 of friction-jaws, into or out of which the bar can be forced by the said crank as it bears on one side of the center or. the other, substantially as shown.

4.. The handle A, having a disk,G, holding 3 5 the contact-bar in p1ace,and armed witha segmental eccentric flange, H, projecting so as to come against the side contact-bar at either end as turned, substantially as and for the purposes described. 0

5. The combination of the cover holding all in position, the handle with a ward or crank like a key, the contact-bar pivoted at or near the axis of the handle, the contact catching device holding the bar, the spring strained to 5 press the bar away from the contact, and the stops arranged to prevent the bar traveling too far, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two sub- 50 scribing witnesses.

JOHN H. HOLMES.

WVitnesses:

W. P. THoMrsoN, I. O. OBRIEN. 

